About Us

Kaweah Delta has been meeting the health needs of Tulare County for nearly
55 years. As the current largest hospital in the county, we bring together
a team of over 4,000 medical and health professionals and have eight campuses
spread out across the area. We are also proud to be the only local hospital
for Visalia, providing the personalized care local patients need. Ready
to learn more about Kaweah Delta and the impact we are having on the community's health?

Our Locations

Kaweah Delta Health Care District has locations that stretch across Tulare
County, providing comprehensive and accessible health services to patients
throughout the community. From physical therapy specialists to hospice
to our sleep disorders center to our health clinics, you can come to any
of our locations nearest you for the quality care and treatment you need.
Ready to learn more? Visit our locations page today.

Foundation

Established in 1979, the Kaweah Delta Hospital Foundation addresses the
health needs of our community by supporting Kaweah Delta Health Care District.
The funds raised by the Foundation help provide equipment, new facilities,
and much more to ensure Tulare County has access to superior quality health
services and top of the line facilities. Find how you can get connected
with the Foundation!

Contact Us

With locations across Tulare County, Kaweah Delta Health Care District
is ready to serve your health needs. We are dedicated members of our community
and remain passionate about improving health care quality and accessibility
for our region. We have received outstanding recognition over the years
for our comprehensive health services. Partner with us for your health
today! Get in touch now for more information.

General Surgery

daVinci Surgery in Tulare County

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a condition that may require
surgery, you owe it to yourself to learn about all of your options, including
the most effective, least invasive surgical treatments available. With
the da Vinci® Surgical System, surgeons at Kaweah Delta are advancing
accepted standards for surgical care.

About da Vinci surgery

Only
da Vinci overcomes the limitations of both traditional open surgery and conventional
minimally invasive surgery.

The
da Vinci System is a sophisticated robotic platform designed to expand the surgeon’s
capabilities – and for the first time – offer a minimally
invasive option for major surgery.

The da Vinci® S™ Surgical System

With
da Vinci, small incisions are used to introduce miniaturized wristed instruments
and a high-definition 3D camera. Seated comfortably at the da Vinci console,
your surgeon views a magnified, high-resolution 3D image of the surgical site.

At the same time, state-of-the-art robotic and computer technologies scale,
filter and seamlessly translate your surgeon's hand movements into
precise micro-movements of the da Vinci instruments.

The System cannot be programmed, nor can it make decisions on its own.
Rather, the
da Vinci System requires that every surgical maneuver be performed with direct
input from your surgeon.

daVinci Urology

A new category of surgery, the da Vinci® Surgical System, is being
used by an increasing number of surgeons worldwide for prostatectomy and
other urologic procedures. It is a minimally invasive approach, using
the latest in surgical and robotics technologies and is ideal for delicate
urologic surgery. This includes prostatectomy, where the target site is
not only tightly confined but also surrounded by nerves affecting urinary
control and sexual function. Using da Vinci, your surgeon has a better
tool to spare those delicate and critical surrounding nerves. This may
improve your recovery experience and clinical outcomes with such benefits as:

Significantly less pain

Less blood loss

Fewer complications

Less scarring

A shorter hospital stay

And a faster return to normal daily activities

As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed, as surgery is
unique to each patient and procedure. The da Vinci Surgical System is
considered safe and effective, but may not be appropriate for everyone.
Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as the benefits
and risks.

daVinci Gynecology

When medication and non-invasive procedures are unable to relieve symptoms,
surgery remains the accepted and most effective treatment for a range
of gynecologic conditions. These include, but are not limited to, cervical
and uterine cancer, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, uterine prolapse
and menorrhagia or excessive bleeding.

Traditional open gynecologic surgery, using a large incision for access
to the uterus and surrounding anatomy, has for many years been the standard
approach to many gynecologic procedures. Yet with open surgery can come
significant pain, trauma, a long recovery process and threat to surrounding
organs and nerves. For women facing gynecologic surgery, the period of
pain, discomfort and extended time away from normal daily activities that
usually follows traditional surgery can understandably cause significant anxiety.

Fortunately, less invasive options are available. Some gynecologic procedures
enable surgeons to access the target anatomy using a vaginal approach,
which may not require an external incision. But for complex hysterectomies
and other gynecologic procedures, robot-assisted surgery with the da Vinci®
Surgical System may be the most effective, least invasive treatment option.
Through tiny, 1-2 cm incisions, surgeons using the da Vinci System* can
operate with greater precision and control, minimizing the pain and risk
associated with large incisions while increasing the likelihood of a fast
recovery and excellent clinical outcomes.

Urology Surgeons

Marty L. Prah, MD

Dr. Prah has been a leader in minimally invasive urologic surgery since
his arrival to Visalia when he performed the first "No Scalpel" Vasectomy
in 1990. He has had a special interest in Urologic Oncology since his
training at the University of Southern California, and to date has completed
over 1,000 "cancer" surgeries in his twenty year career. Dr. Prah completed
the first successful Laparoscopic Nephrectomy (kidney removal without
incision) at Kaweah Delta Medical Center in 2000, and began robotic surgery
in 2005. He now has more than 5 years of experience with the da Vinci
system, and has completed over 100 robotic surgeries on the prostate,
and kidney.

Dr. Prah feels honored to be the first surgeon at Kaweah Delta Medical
Center to perform a robotic surgery on the new state of the art da Vinci
"Si" system on July 23, 2010. He believes this cutting edge technology
will allow patients to experience reduced pain, scarring, blood loss,
and recovery time.